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Tips and Tricks for Tuna Fishing in Louisiana Gulf Coast Waters Tuna fishing in any water can be quite an experience, but fishing for them near the mouth of the Mississippi River is a once in a lifetime experience. The Yellowfin in this part of the Gulf of Mexico can reach record sizes, providing visitors that thrill that will last forever. Hiring a fishing charter is the easiest way to insure that you catch the huge yellowfin tuna, below are some of the tactics you may see. Choosing the right fishing captain is an important part of the process. Your local charter boat fishing Louisiana captain uses decades of experience to get you to where these fish are in abundance, and has a few secrets up their sleeves for finding those monsters. Here are some tips and tricks for tuna fishing in the gulf coast waters of Louisiana that will help you land that storytelling monster tuna. Heading Out of Venice LA Most of the serious yellowfin tuna fishermen head out of the Venice LA area. Venice LA charter fishing is known around the world for yellowfin tuna. Located on a couple hours from New Orleans, Venice LA caters to people coming into the area for a fishing excursion – with many hotels and fishing camps available. Venice LA is a Short Trip from New Orleans Tuna Fishing Near the Oil Rigs One of the best kept secrets for catching yellowfin tuna in the Gulf is fishing near the many oils rigs off the coast of Louisiana. There are numerous rigs dotting the horizon of the Gulf, and local fishermen have been spoiled for years. They bring their fishing boats as close as possible and that is where they find the gulf coast monster tuna. Now it isn’t just about cruising the rigs to find tuna, it also about having the right bait fish, fishing at the right time of year, and the weather and water conditions. A good charter boat captain will know that you have to pay close attention the surface waters as you approach the rigs. The Yellowfin tuna are well known to hang around the up-current on the side of the oilrig. He will also check the waters around the rig for sub-currents. The larger of the tuna will move around in different currents, despite what you are seeing on the surface. An experienced charter boat captain can read the waters and will know where the tuna are waiting to be caught. Finding Big Tuna in Deep Water The deeper the water you are fishing, the bigger the tuna you are catching. The optimal depth to catch tuna near the basin of the Mississippi River is 1,500 feet and more. It is very important that you are paying close attention to your depth sounder, marking locations beneath the boat to make sure that your lures are down at the correct depth. The reason being is that the larger tuna are less afraid …

Do I need to Hire a Charter Fishing Boat? There are many good reasons to hire a charter service for your fishing needs, especially if you are planning a fishing trip out of Venice LA – for some of the best fishing in the country. For a long time, charter boats were thought to be expensive and only for the rich, but that really isn’t the case anymore. There are many charter boat companies out of Louisiana that are experienced and affordable and, if you do your research you’ll be off to a great fishing adventure. Here are a few tips to help you better understand the charter boat industry and the services they offer. Charter Boats Make the Experience All About Fishing We can all agree that the best reason to go out on a boat is to catch those huge yellowfin tuna both for the adventure and the eating. When vacationing in a place that you are not familiar with, the angler has to rely on word-of-mouth for the best fishing locations and hotspots. Many of the best spots will require some type of boat. Hiring a chartered service eliminates many issues of trying to go it on your own – there is nothing to bring, haul, park or rent; a good captain and charter service will already know all the best spots and, as a passenger, you are not required to do anything except catch fish. The convenience of showing up on the dock and jumping in the boat, rather than the alternative is a great way to enhance your fishing experience and allow you to focus on the fishing. A Good Captain Knows Where to Fish A local charter service has knowledge of the area. No good captain will guarantee that you will catch fish, but the chances are greatly improved when using a local captain that has been fishing the area for years. They will be able to access local spots that you would have otherwise missed and that can drastically increase your catch. The use of a larger, charter boat allows access to offshore locations and other varieties of fish that are inaccessible from a small craft. The knowledge of local hot spots can be the difference between catching fish and having a great adventure, or not catching fish and going home with no “big” fish story to tell. Good Stories and Good Fishing The charter experience also provides benefits that you may not think about, such as knowledge of local laws and regulations regarding conservation. They also have a better understanding of the local habitat, and is someone with a vested interest in making sure that all the laws of the land and ideas regarding conservation are followed. The captain will have some great stories to tell and can offer some good conversation as well as having all of the gear needed and the knowledge of where to fish. All to make your experience on the boat enjoyable. Hiring a local captain and …

Fishing For Yellowfin Tuna If you haven’t yet caught a yellowfin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico, its something you don’t want to miss. You can always book a charter and go fishing for Yellowfin from Venice, Louisiana. Venice LA, provides some of Louisiana’s best fishing and is the world’s leading destination for deep sea fishing. It has been named as the best fishing spot for deep sea fishing in the United States and continues to attract tourists year after year. Venice LA is a great choice because it can easily be accessed from New Orleans and with the surplus of offshore fishing charters offers you have many boats to choose from. It is not just Yellowfin tuna that you will catch in the Gulf – the waters are also teeming with red snapper, mangrove snappers, grouper, redfish, amber jack, cobia, king mackerel, shark and many other different types of fish. Choose Your Boat For Yellowfin Tuna The type and size of boat that you hire is entirely up to you. Captain Troy with Louisiana Offshore Fishing Charters offers multiple boats for your next fishing trip. Unlike many other fishing spots in the United States that are seasonal, Yellowfin tuna is available throughout the year. This fish tends to grow to be extremely large – fish that weigh up to 300 pounds are not unheard of, but on a normal day in Venice, Louisiana you can expect to catch Yellowfin that weighs an average of 60 pounds. When you are chartering a boat make sure to let the company know if you have any special requests – most are happy to cater. If, for example, you will be bringing children on the boat you can ask them to provide appropriate gear for them. Fishing Out of Venice LA For Yellowfin The reason why so many people come to Venice LA with the hope of catching Yellowfin Tuna is because they are a challenging fish – other than being big they are also very strong and it takes quite a bit to reel one in. They are usually found in large numbers feeding close to the surface and the further you go into the water the bigger the fish you can expect to catch. If you want to catch really big ones you should go in the winter and fall months – feeding conditions at this time allow fish to become bigger than usual. Best Times To Fish The best time to go out on the water for Yellowfin Tuna is in the evening just as the sun is going down. Fish are most active between this time and midnight, and you will find them in large numbers near the oil rigs. They like these spots because they are attracted by the light. The process of fishing itself is easy and whether you are an experienced angler or are new to fishing you can expect to have a rewarding time. You will need to bring your own fishing rod, but if …

Charter Fishing Across The US There are some really neat places to catch fish across the US. Salmon fishing charters are most often booked in the Northern Western Hemisphere, including in the states of Washington, Alaska, Montana and throughout Canada. Trout comes in many species (Rainbow, Brown, Cutthroat, etc.). They are found in Wyoming, Maryland, British Columbia. Walleye, Pike, Rock Bass, Blue Gil, White Sturgeon, Crappie and Catfish are more examples of the freshwater fish you can specifically fish for. While you’re there, the family can have fun onshore seeing the sites, shopping or camping in a more relaxed environment. But at the end of the day…if you want to do some REAL FISHING…Come to Louisiana! Use a Fishing Guide If you are looking for the fishing trip of a lifetime, we recommend using a professional fishing guide. They not only the terrain and waterways, but the best fishing spots and places to eat. Charter fishing can be an exciting vacation for the whole family or that private, personal excursion you need to get some well-earned “me time” and some pro-tips to boot! Saltwater Fishing Charters Not up to freshwater? How about some prime saltwater or brackish in the deep south of Louisiana, with some of the highest ranking fishing charters in the United States, including St. Bernard, Venice, Chauvin and Grand Isle? “A broad expanse of the famed coastal marshes as well as dozens of saltwater bays and estuaries attract everything from Black Drum and Sheepshead to armies of Flounder, Tripletail and Croakers,” says FishingBooker.com. “But to thousands of light tackle and fly enthusiasts alike, sight casting for Bull Redfish and topwater fishing for Speckled Sea Trout remain two of the most sought-after inshore objectives along the Pelican State’s barrier islands. For deep water fishing, you will want to catch the mighty yellowfin tuna. Add to that the unrivaled wildlife variety patrolling the lower Mississippi Delta or hiding among the oak and cypress trees, including dolphins, gators and pelicans!” Who knew charter fishing had so much to offer? Sightseeing, learning, friendly competition and a day on the water, a unique fishing opportunity and some insights that may give that edge for your next fishing rodeo! Best of all, who doesn’t love fresh fish cooked outdoors? There is nothing quite like it. Catching Giant Yelowfin Tuna and Swordfish in Louisiana Fishing From Shore Angling with just the basics, you can fish from a canoe in freshwater rivers, lakes or ponds, and even in saltwater backcountry estuaries. According to TakeMeFishing.org you can also shore fish from the shore of a river, lake or coastline and even paddle-board fish! Fishing nets have been used widely in the past, including by stone age societies, says Wikipedia. Tools of the Trade Monofilament line, less expensive than other lines and stretches to absorb shocks. Braid line is heavier, casts farther and lasts longer. Fluorocarbon Fishing Line is often used as leader material. It’s completely invisible underwater and very abrasion resistant, making it the perfect complement …

Catching Fish in the Tchefuncte By: Peter Egan The Tchefuncte River is located in Washington and St. Tammany Parishes in southeastern Louisiana. The Tchefuncte becomes a respectable river, viable for fishing, boating, skiing, wakeboarding (and other aquatic recreation) at an area known as Three Rivers, where the Little Tchefuncte is joined by the Bogue Falaya River and the Abita River, forming one much larger river known as the Tchefuncte. This larger river where the three smaller ones culminate will be the central focus of this article. Bass Fishing By far the most commonly pursued species of fish in the Tchefuncte are Largemouth Bass. Fishing for bass in the Tchefuncte is challenging to say the least. The entire bank on both sides of the river north of Madisonville (near the river’s mouth) is lined with what would be considered prime bass habitat were there not so much of it. Fallen trees, lily pads, docks, other aquatic and man-made debris line the shire for miles and for the majority of the river. The same can be said for the private bayous, lagoons and canals that are attached to the river. Finally, on days when the weather is pleasant, the water becomes so muddy from boat traffic that fishing is pretty much impossible after about noon on a Saturday through the following Monday. If you don’t have a bass boat or a flatboat with a trolling motor, you’re wasting your time fishing for bass. A trolling motor is an absolute necessity for fishing the Tchefuncte because of the river’s layout. You’ll need to cover as much ground as possible and hope you can hit on a few spots. Top baits used to catch bass in the Tchefuncte either make noise and/or chop up the water (spinnerbaits and buzzbaits), or are weedless in design, usually soft plastics. This larger group can include artificial worms (Tequila Sunrise and Fire n Ice are my personal favorites), weedless topwater frogs (for the lily pads), lizards, etc. If you’re going to cast towards the shorelines and all of the accompanying brush, and it’s important to you that you hit the perfect spot, go with something weedless or you’ll be losing a lot of lures to the trees. If you’re willing to fish along shorelines, spinnerbaits are typically a safe and effective bet. Buzzbaits are used in much the same way, only where lily pads are present or at dawn when the fish must rely more on sound and feel than sight. In my opinion, bass fishing in the Tchefuncte is unnecessarily difficult by design, so I tend to target other species more often than not. Catfish Unlike fishing for bass, the Tchefuncte still holds a sizeable number of catfish. While numbers of fish species appear to have been in a state of decline since the population of St. Tammany Parish seemingly tripled following Hurricane Katrina, the catfish in the river seem to be the least impacted by the added fishing pressure. One of the things I like about …

Pretty cool video on catching Redfish out of Venice LA. Louisiana is known for fishing. One of the most popular fish to catch in Louisiana is redfish. Whether you are fishing in Lake Pontchartrain or out in the Gulf of Mexico – redfish are fun to catch and awesome to eat. Here is a quick video of catching not only redfish, but other trophy fish in Louisiana. Want to send us your fishing story? We would love to post it! Click Here to send us your latest fishing story — but it must be out of Louisiana~